Paint Colors for Small Rooms
Ideas & Inspiration

A sunny small bathroom with pastel purple walls, a white sink, and a white-trimmed window with gauzy white curtains.

Discover creative ways to add depth and dimension to studio apartments, alcoves, and other nooks with our small room paint ideas.

Explore the fun side of practical with paint colors for small rooms. No matter what room you’re painting, Benjamin Moore’s 3,500+ colors are here to help you get the most out of your home when space is at a premium.

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How to Pick Paint Colors for Small Rooms

When it comes to paint colors for small rooms, choosing the perfect hue can feel as Herculean as choosing a palette for your whole home. With less real estate to work with, small spaces often pull double duty—for example, a home office doubles as a guest room during seasonal holidays, or a dining alcove masquerades as a reading nook on the weekends—meaning the colors you choose have to work with different décor and activities.

To start your small space color journey, consider the goal you’re trying to achieve: Are you trying to make the room look bigger and brighter? Do you want show-stealing maximalism color and décor, or is minimalism the style you’re after?

Whether you want to keep things light and airy or go bold with a daring color scheme, here are 10 ways to experiment with paint colors for small rooms.

A sunny, light blue painted living room with a cozy white armchair, and an ocean view through a glass door and window.

1. Light Paint Colors for Small Rooms

Painting with pale and pastel colors above eye level creates an airy effect that can visually heighten walls, especially when you paint the ceiling a lighter shade or a slight variation of the wall color. The subtle contrast brings depth and dimension without breaking the unity of existing hues.

Small room colors we love to help make the space feel larger:

A cheery small kitchen with lavender-gray walls, red-painted cabinet siding, white-painted lower cabinets, wooden floors and a sunny bright window above the sink.

2. Small Room Color Ideas to Add Bold Contrast

In multifunctional spaces like kitchens, a spirited two-tone color scheme can add attention-grabbing visual interest while also delineating specific areas. For extra oomph, choose a bold hue for the cabinets and stick to a neutral paint color for the walls and ceiling.

To add contrast to your small space, try one of these unexpected color combinations:

A fun, orange-painted accent wall separates the walk-in shower from a free-standing bathtub in a white painted bathroom with white subway tile.

3. Little Bathroom, Big Look

A pint-size bathroom offers an opportunity to use deep hues and transform a modest space into a colorful oasis. You can overlook room-to-room color flow thanks to the bathroom’s innate closed-door policy, making it the perfect place to get creative with color and create a cheery powder room or an upbeat en suite.

Love the look? Consider one of these hues to brighten up a small bathroom or any petite space:

A wood desk, leather butterfly chair, and stool in front of a two-tone white and teal blue painted wall with hanging plants on an upper shelf, and an adjacent white and gray two-tone wall.

4. Sample Paint Color in Small Spaces

No (or low) natural light? No worries. To make sure you’re choosing the color that works best for your small room, be sure to sample your choices and view them in your space over the course of a few days before you commit.

We offer a variety of samples—8 oz. color samples, peel & stick, and color swatches—to help you find the solution for any space. Shop online or visit the experts at your locally owned Benjamin Moore store, who can help you find exactly what you need to make your small space painting project a success.

A sleek kitchen corner with a coral painted wall, a white tiled backsplash wall and floor, white upper wall and exposed pipes, and three sets of drawers: one painted white, the second black, and the third woodgrain.

5. Accent with Color: Small Room Paint Ideas for a Vibrant Space

A painted accent wall adds a focal point to any room. If you live in an apartment, condo, studio, or home with several smaller rooms, a bold color on one wall easily adds architectural interest to a modestly sized space.

Consider accent wall paint colors that will instantly add a happy vibe to any room, like these:

A cozy bedroom with deep chocolate-hued walls, a white-painted gallery wall, a bed with black and white striped bedding, pillows and red printed blanket, and a wicker ottoman.

6. Create Depth with Colors for Small Rooms

Looking to add dramatic flair to a small bedroom, alcove, or other cozy nook? Rich hues—like the deep chocolate Wenge AF-180, shown here—are perfect for small spaces, especially if you want to lend a moody touch to your home’s palette.

Statement-making jewel tones are another great choice when painting a small room. Some hues we love:

A cheerful blue-painted hallway with white trim, doors, and shiplap vaulted ceiling, and a bright green-painted room in the background.

7. The Unsung Hallway

Many hallways are both narrow and dim, especially in townhouses and apartments. Add a soft glow and a feeling of warmth to what might otherwise be an overlooked area of the home with a lighter, softer hue like Subtle AF-310, Edgecomb Gray HC-173, or Lookout Point 1646, especially if they lead into more colorful spaces.

A white painted bedroom with two circular wall mirrors, twin beds with white bedding, a white shuttered window and striped jute rug.

8. Brighten Dark Spaces with Off-White Paint Colors

Off-white and white paint colors help to open up smaller spaces by reflecting natural light and pulling it throughout your home. Ensure you’re choosing the right off-white for your small space by sampling before you paint. Our peel & stick paint samples are ideal for testing white paint colors because they are easy to move from wall to wall as needed.

We love these white paint colors for small spaces:

A light-filled living room with light blue-painted walls, a white ceiling, dark comfy sofa, three pieces of modern art over a cabinet and an orange accent wall at the end of a hallway.

9. Modern Paint Colors for Small Rooms

Carve out color opportunities in small spaces to bring a modern touch to your room. Here, Solitude AF-545 adds design interest to this small living room, acting as the perfect backdrop to midcentury modern accents and abstract artwork.

Other paint colors for small living rooms to consider:

A loft entryway with a dark indigo blue pegboard wall holding hats, scarves, a jacket and umbrellas with a light pink front door.

10. Attention-Grabbing Small Room Paint Colors

The best way to incorporate colors into a small room? Make them pop! Here, the cheerful combination of a Starry Night Blue 2067-20 pegboard and a Conch Shell 052 door is a friendly welcome to anyone who walks through this entryway.

To make your own small space pop, use a bold paint color and add eclectic accents and vibrant greenery.

A contemporary white-painted entryway with a blue-trimmed door, and a rich blue-painted rectangle graphic behind a wooden bench, and a wood and charcoal gray-painted island with mesh bar stool.

What Is the Best Paint for Small Spaces?

Smaller spaces are easier to repaint with greater frequency, meaning you can change the color—and mood—more often than in a large room.

Ben^® Interior paint offers effortless application from start to finish so anyone can achieve beautiful results. With a special formulation that has a longer open time for smooth touch-ups and excellent coverage and hide, Ben is ideal for small spaces. It is a reliable go-to for first-time homeowners, apartment dwellers, and DIY-ers alike.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the best color for a small room?

A. While all color choices are personal, we often find that lighter, airier hues are popular for small rooms, as they can make a room feel brighter and more open. We love Pristine OC-75, White Dove OC-17, and Glass Slipper 1632 for this purpose.

Those with a maximalist design style may prefer more dramatic colors to really make a statement in a small space. Bold colors we love for small rooms include Ming Jade 2043-20, Savannah Green 2150-30, and Dinner Party AF-300.

Q. Which colors should I use on the walls in a small house?

A. When painting the interior of a small house, consider a color palette of similar undertones so color flows from room to room. Opt for neutral and off-white hues, such as Chantilly Lace OC-65 and Revere Pewter HC-172 in hallways to connect spaces throughout the home. Go for bold pops of color in powder rooms, alcoves, and on doors to make an impactful design statement without overwhelming the space.

Some bold hues we love in small spaces include Cinnamon Slate 2113-40, Vintage Vogue 462, and Onyx 2133-10.

Q. Which wall should I paint darker in a small room?

A. The accent wall in your home should always be the wall you’d like to bring the most attention to. Often, this can be a wall that features a window, a loved piece of art, or architectural details such as ornate trim or doors. You can even opt for the ceiling to bring the eye up.

Talk to the experts at your locally owned Benjamin Moore store or book a virtual color consultation if you have any questions. As always, we recommend sampling your favorite hues and living with them for a few days before making a color decision.

Q. Should I paint an accent wall in a small room?

A. An accent wall is an easy way to create a focal point in a small room, drawing attention to windows and unique architectural details while visually expanding the space.

Popular colors for accent walls in small rooms include Santa Barbara Green 2037-60, City Scape Morning 368, and Trailing Vines 1505.

Q. Should small rooms be painted in light colors?

A. Painting with light colors in small rooms creates an airy effect that can visually heighten the walls, especially when you paint the ceiling a lighter shade or a slight variation of the wall color. The subtle contrast brings depth and dimension without breaking the unity of the existing hues. Try Par Four 470, Venetian Marble 2114-70, or Horizon OC-53 to get the effect.